Special Seasons & Lottery Hunts

Louisiana
Hunting

Youth Seasons and Youth Lottery Hunts

NOTE: Some of the below hunts may be by pre-application lottery. For details, see individual WMA schedules, contact any Field Office, or visit our website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

For open, non-lottery youth hunts, only youths 17 or younger may hunt. All other seasons are closed EXCEPT physically challenged seasons. Youths must be accompanied by one adult 18 years of age or older. Youths must possess a hunter safety certification or proof of successful completion of a hunter safety course. If the accompanying adult has proof of successful completion of a hunter education course or was born before Sept. 1, 1969 and has a valid hunting license, this requirement is waived for youths younger than 16 years of age. Adults may not possess a firearm. Youths may possess only one firearm while hunting. The supervising adult shall maintain visual and voice contact with the youth at all times. EXCEPT properly licensed youths 16-17 years old and youths 12 years old or older who have successfully completed a hunter safety course may hunt without a supervising adult.

Self-clearing permits are required on all youth hunts that are open, non-lottery hunts.

Mourning Dove:

Loggy Bayou WMAs will have an open youth dove hunt the first Saturday of the Mourning Dove Season. Sandy Hollow WMA will have a youth dove hunt the first Saturday of the Mourning Dove Season. See Sandy Hollow WMA regulations for details.

Turkey:

Select WMAs only. Contact the appropriate field office for details. Youth turkey seasons are offered on the following WMAs (reference individual WMA listings for dates): Big Lake and Bodcau.

Youth lottery hunts will be offered on the following WMAs (reference individual WMA listings for dates and status of hunt as a lottery or open, non-lottery hunt): Clear Creek, Fort Polk-Vernon, Grassy Lake, J.C. Sonny Gilbert, Pearl River, Peason Ridge, Pomme de Terre, Richard K. Yancey, Sherburne, Spring Bayou, Tunica Hills, and West Bay. Completed lottery applications must be returned no later than Feb. 8 for all pre-application lottery turkey hunts.

WMAs with youth lottery hunts are closed to all activities except turkey hunting by authorized youth hunt participants, shooting range use, and fishing on the day(s) of the youth hunt. Only one turkey is allowed to be taken during lottery hunts.

Waterfowl:

Select WMAs only. Contact the appropriate field office for details. Youth waterfowl seasons are offered the same weekend as the state youth waterfowl hunts on all WMAs unless otherwise noted (reference individual WMA listings for details).

Youth lottery hunts are offered on the following WMAs (reference Individual WMA listing for dates): Bayou Pierre and Sherburne WMAs. Completed lottery applications must be returned no later than Sept. 28 for all pre-application lottery waterfowl hunts.

Physically Challenged Seasons And Physically Challenged Lottery Hunts

NOTE: Some of the below hunts may be by pre-application lottery. For details, see individual WMA schedules, contact any Field Office, or visit our website at www.wlf.louisiana.gov.

Only hunters possessing a Physically Challenged Hunters Permit (PCHP) may hunt. Further restrictions may apply.

Deer:

Select WMAs only. Contact the appropriate field office for details, permit application, or maps of hunting areas. Either-sex deer may be taken on the following WMAs (reference individual WMA listings for dates and status of hunt as a lottery, pre-application, or open non-lottery hunt): Alexander State Forest, Big Colewa Bayou, Buckhorn, Dewey W. Wills, Floy Ward McElroy, Richard K. Yancey, Sabine, Sandy Hollow, Sherburne and West Bay. Contact Field Offices for permit application and map of specific hunting area.

Disabled Veterans Lottery Hunts

Hunts restricted to those persons selected by lottery. Only U.S. Veterans with proof of service connected disability may apply.

Deer:

Camp Beauregard WMA only (reference individual WMA listings for dates). Hunt restricted to those persons selected by lottery. Contact the Pineville field office for application and details. Completed lottery applications must be returned no later than Aug. 31.

Waterfowl:

Sherburne WMA only (reference individual WMA listings for dates). Hunt restricted to those persons selected by lottery. Contact the Lafayette Field Office for application and details. Completed lottery applications must be returned no later than Sept. 28.

General Lottery Hunts

Waterfowl:

Select WMAs only. Contact the appropriate field office for details. General Waterfowl Lottery hunts are offered on the following WMAs (reference individual WMA listings for dates): Bayou Pierre and Sherburne. Completed lottery applications must be returned no later than Sept. 28.

Turkey:

Select WMAs only. Contact the appropriate field office for details. General Turkey Lottery hunts are offered on the following WMAs (reference individual WMA listings for dates): Bayou Macon, Clear Creek, Dewey W. Wills, J.C. Sonny Gilbert, Pearl River, Sabine, Sherburne, Tunica Hills, and West Bay WMAs. Completed lottery applications must be returned no later than Feb. 8. Only one turkey is allowed to be taken during lottery hunts.

Trapping

Consult 2018-2019 trapping regulations for specific dates and regulations. All traps must be run daily. Traps with teeth are illegal.

Raccoon Hunting

A licensed hunter may take raccoon or opossum, one per person per day, during daylight hours only, during the open rabbit season on WMAs.

Small Game Emphasis Areas

Specially designated areas on certain WMAs will allow small game hunting with dogs, confined to that specific area when the remainder of the WMA is restricted to still hunt only. Additionally, off season training of rabbit and bird dogs may be allowed on some of the Small Game Emphasis Areas. Small Game Emphasis Areas are offered on Big Colewa Bayou, Bayou Macon, Bayou Pierre, Boeuf, Dewey W. Wills, Marsh Bayou, Pomme de Terre, Richard K. Yancey, Russell Sage, Sandy Hollow, Sherburne, Tunica Hills and Walnut Hill WMAs. See individual WMA schedules for details.

Sport Fishing

Sport fishing, crawfishing and frogging are allowed on WMAs when in compliance with current laws and regulations EXCEPT as otherwise specified under individual WMA listings.

Archery Season for Deer

The archery season on WMAs is the same as outside EXCEPT as otherwise specified on individual WMAs. Either-sex deer may be taken on WMAs at any time during archery season EXCEPT when bucks-only seasons are in progress on the respective WMAs. Archers must abide by bucks-only regulations and other restrictions when such seasons are in progress.

Primitive Firearms Season for Deer

Either-sex unless otherwise specified. Youth 17 or younger may use any legal weapon during the primitive firearms season on WMAs (Refer to Legal Gear for Primitive Firearms Season on Deer Hunting Regulations).